Instrumentation:

Programme Note:Program note WAR! is a high energy composition that fuses electronics, “rap” or “hip hop” elements, with virtuosic instrumental writing. Inspired by Toronto writer Bo Wen Chan’s spoken lyrics(the composer’s daughter), music carries an intense message of denouncing war: an outburst of dismay as history repeats itself in many destructive ways.This work is commissioned by Toca Loca through a grant supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Premiere date: March 25, 2008, Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto, part of CBC On Stage Series.
Text: Bo Wen Chan
There is a war, you are about to find out:
Here is how the world turns,
Listen hard so you can learn,
'Cause your soul is gonna burn!
Weapons high and rebels fall,
Bloody souls and broken law,
Vow of sin and death to all!
If you don't cease the nonsense,
That's besieged our government;
Pointless fighting breaks out,
As our leaders take out,
Each other in a stake out…
No one doubt or dare deny,
Our innate right to patronize,
And make our brothers civilized.
We cry "democracy's the light!"
And make imaginary plights,
So we brag and claim to fight,
For God and everything that's right.
What we're really out to do,
Take resources from the poor;
Feed them poison as the cure,
No one doubts or dare deny.
Burn and rape and claim to fight,
Death for God and what is right!
Go on the web and take a look,
Though the rot-ten his-tory books;
Same old story everywhere,
No-thing gained for all we took!